The Surrogate (1995 film)

Last updated
The Surrogate
The Surrogate (1995 film) cover.jpg
VHS cover
Written by Raymond Hartung
Elisa Bell
Directed by Jan Egleson
Raymond Hartung
Starring Alyssa Milano
Connie Sellecca
Theme music composer Nicholas Pike
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers Buzz Feitshans
Robert Greenhut
Producers Andrew G. Vajna
Lorne Michaels
Timothy M. Bourne (co-producer)
Larry Meistrich (associate producer)
Cinematography Adam Greenberg
EditorEric A. Sears
Running time88 minutes
Production companiesTouchstone Television
Cinergi Television
Broadway Video
Release
Original network ABC
Original releaseOctober 22, 1995 (1995-10-22)

The Surrogate is a 1995 television film drama directed by Jan Egleson and Raymond Hartung and aired on ABC. The film had a limited VHS release in the United Kingdom in April 1996. It has also been released on video in Asia.

Contents

The film centers around the young and talented student Amy (Alyssa Milano), who replies on an innocent advertisement for a rental place. Here, she meets Stuart (David Dukes) and Joan Quinn (Connie Sellecca). After she rents the place, she creates a good relationship with the family. After a lot of hesitation, the family asks her to be the surrogate mother of their child, since Joan can't have babies herself anymore. Amy thinks about it and agrees. When Amy discovers that the family hides a dark secret about the death of an earlier baby, Amy is determined not to give her child up and flees. Soon, the police are looking for her, because she officially kidnapped her own baby.

Plot

Amy Winslow (Alyssa Milano) is an art student majoring in painting, who is all by her own. Her mother died when she was a child and her father is not around. As a student she has financial problems, so she is surprised when the couple Joan and Stuart Quinn (Connie Sellecca and David Dukes) decide to take her in their house for a small amount of rent. Little does Amy know that Joan is following her every step through secret cameras, and that she has a hidden agenda for her. Initially, Amy is very content living with the Quinns, believing that she has found the family she has never had. When she loses the university's financial aide through an administration error, Joan immediately steps in to take care of her. They both drink a large amount of wine, and then Joan announces that because she is infertile, they are looking for a surrogate mother. She then tells Amy that they feel that she is the perfect candidate. Amy is flattered, and next day discusses the situation with her friendly teacher Eric Shaw (Vincent Ventresca). She then agrees when the Quinns propose to pay for her college fees if she helps them out.

When Amy is a few months pregnant, Joan starts to show strange behavior. Amy feels smothered by Joan's overbearing attitude, feeling that she is being treated like a ten-year-old child. Her oil painting being taken away, Amy looks for it in the basement, only to find old baby clothes. Joan catches her, and becomes furious, scaring Amy away. She later tries to explain the situation by saying that she was pregnant four years ago, though had a miscarriage. Amy does not believe her story, though Eric - who was already 'warned' by Joan that Amy might act paranoid - tells her to focus on her painting, not on the Quinns.

Later that day, a strange woman drops by to meet with Joan. Joan, who was not at home by the time, is convinced that the woman is Sandy Gilman (Polly Bergen), and meets with her the next day to tell her not to come at her house ever again. Amy overhears the conversation and is worried when they discuss rumor of Joan being responsible of their biological baby Christopher's death. She is further confused when Sandy reveals herself as Joan's mother. Amy next contacts Janice, who previously lived with the Quinns, and finds out that Joan did not have a miscarriage, and that police were involved when Christopher died. Eric, informed by Amy, tries to talk to Joan, but she threatens to ruin his career if he interferes.

Meanwhile, Amy finds a video tape of Joan with Christopher, and grows convinced that Joan murdered her baby. Joan catches her watching the tape, and when Amy tries to get away, Joan accidentally shoves her off the stairs. Amy has to be rushed to the hospital, where she gives birth to a baby girl while unconscious. Joan takes the baby home, and tells Amy that she is not allowed in the home anymore. Amy then turns to the police, but they inform her that she can be arrested for breaking contract if she continues her quest to get the baby girl Christine back. Instead, Amy and Eric decide to dig into Joan's past and find out that Joan is using a false name. Joan fears that Amy will do anything to get Christine and tells Stuart they might have to 'take care' of her.

When Amy is on her way to the police to inform them about the real Joan and Stuart Quinn, she is run over by Joan before she is able to arrive at the station. Now instead, they turn to the Quinns and kidnap Christine. The Quinns use the help of their guard (Roger R. Cross) to go after her, but Eric steps in-between them, and has to be hospitalized in order for Amy to get away. Amy changes her identity and appearance and goes into hiding and renames her baby Emily. A large police investigation is started, and Amy makes newspaper headlines with the kidnapping. She heads out to Sandy to find help, but the Quinns have already suspected that she might do that and are present as well when Amy arrives. Joan tells Amy that she will not press charges if she gives up Emily, though Stuart interrupts her and admits to the suspicion surrounding the couple about the murder of their infant. He offers to not press charges if she keeps their past a secret, and allows her to take the baby. Joan, infuriated, hits Stuart on the head with an object, takes Emily out off Amy's hands and runs off. Amy follows her and they end up on the edge of a cliff. There, Joan admits that she accidentally smothered Christopher to death when he was crying and reluctantly returns Emily to Amy.

Sometime later, Amy is seen being the legal mother of Emily, and she is now in a loving relationship with Eric.

Cast

Production

Milano, who spent most of the production with her infant co-stars, admitted that the film triggered her maternal instincts: "I was amazed at how instinctual everything was for me." [1] Filming took place in Vancouver. [2]

Reception

Variety magazine gave the film a negative review. In the review, the crew's work was praised, but the screenplay was heavily criticized: "Telefilm, under Jan Egleson's strict direction, is supposed to be a thriller, but it's too long a reach; the thrill is gone. David Geddes' lensing creates strong atmosphere, and Ron Yoshida's editing is exemplary. Michael Nemirsky's design is suitable, and Nicholas Pike's score is satisfactory." [2]

Taglines

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alyssa Milano</span> American actress (born 1972)

Alyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress, producer, activist, and former singer. She has played Samantha Micelli in Who's the Boss?, Jennifer Mancini in Melrose Place, Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed, Billie Cunningham in My Name Is Earl, Savannah "Savi" Davis in Mistresses, Renata Murphy in Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later, and Coralee Armstrong in Insatiable.

<i>Casualties of Love: The "Long Island Lolita" Story</i> 1993 American TV series or program

Casualties of Love: The "Long Island Lolita" Story is a 1993 American television crime drama film based on the story of Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco, written and directed by John Herzfeld. Alyssa Milano and Jack Scalia played the main characters. It aired on CBS on January 3, 1993, the same night and time as ABC's film The Amy Fisher Story, though the latter film was much higher rated in the TV ratings and critically praised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connie Sellecca</span> American actress

Connie Sellecca is an American actress, producer, and former model, best known for her roles on the television series Flying High, The Greatest American Hero, and Hotel, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorelai Gilmore</span> Fictional character

Lorelai Victoria Gilmore is a fictional character in The WB dramedy television series Gilmore Girls. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and portrayed by actress Lauren Graham, she appeared in every episode of the show from 2000 to 2007.

<i>Repeat Performance</i> 1947 film by Alfred L. Werker

Repeat Performance is a 1947 American film noir starring Louis Hayward and Joan Leslie. The film was released by Eagle-Lion Films, directed by Alfred L. Werker, and produced by Aubrey Schenck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Barlow</span> Fictional character from Coronation Street

Amy Barlow is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by Elle Mulvaney. She was born on screen during the episode broadcast on 9 February 2004. To date, the character has been portrayed by eight child actors; Holly Bowyer, Rebecca Pike, Louisa Morris, Rachel and Sarah Corker, Madison Hampson, Amber Chadwick and Elle Mulvaney, making her the most recast character in Coronation Street. Although Amy's surname has stayed Barlow, Chadwick was credited as Amy McDonald for three episodes from 2009 to 2010.

<i>Mrs. Winterbourne</i> 1996 American film

Mrs. Winterbourne is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Shirley MacLaine, Ricki Lake, and Brendan Fraser. It is loosely based on Cornell Woolrich's novel I Married a Dead Man, which had already been filmed in Hollywood as No Man of Her Own (1950) starring Barbara Stanwyck, in Hindi as Kati Patang (1970) starring Asha Parekh, and in French as J'ai épousé une ombre (1983). The film was shot on location in and around Toronto, Ontario including Eaton Hall in King City, Ontario. It was the final production of A&M Films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheila Carter</span> Soap opera character

Sheila Carter is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, American soap operas on the CBS network. Created by William J. Bell, the role was introduced in 1990 — by Edward J. Scott — under the portrayal of Kimberlin Brown, who originally portrayed the role from 1990 to 1992 on The Young and the Restless, although she continued to make guest appearance until 1995. From 1992 to 1998, Brown played the role on The Bold and the Beautiful, returning for stints in 2002 and 2003, before returning to The Young and the Restless from 2005 to January 2006. That same year, Michelle Stafford took over the role after Sheila had plastic surgery to look like Phyllis Summers. Brown returned to the role of Sheila on The Bold and the Beautiful from June 9, 2017, to March 23, 2018, and then again from August 6, 2021.

<i>I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus</i> (film) 2001 television film

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is a 2001 made-for-TV family film, based on the classic holiday song of the same name. The movie's tagline was "Christmas is coming, and Santa's a dirty rat."

<i>Confessions of a Sorority Girl</i> American TV series or program

Confessions of a Sorority Girl is a 1994 American television film that debuted on Showtime on July 29, 1994. Directed by Uli Edel, the stars include Alyssa Milano and Jamie Luner.

Deadly Sins is a 1995 American-Canadian slasher film directed by Michael Robison, and stars David Keith and Alyssa Milano. It had a limited VHS release. In Germany, the film was released on VHS under the title Sins.

<i>Baby Mama</i> (film) 2008 film by Michael McCullers

Baby Mama is a 2008 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Michael McCullers in his directorial debut and starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor, with Steve Martin, and Sigourney Weaver.

<i>Sundays at Tiffanys</i> 2008 novel by Piznarski and Charbonnet

Sundays at Tiffany's is a romance novel by the authors James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet released on April 29, 2008. It has also been adapted into a Lifetime Television original movie that premiered on December 6, 2010.

<i>Mistresses</i> (British TV series) British TV series or programme

Mistresses is a British serial drama television programme that follows the lives of four female friends and their involvement in an array of illicit and complex relationships. The programme was written by Rachel Pole, Richard Warlow, Harriet Braun and Catrin Clarke and filmed in Bristol by Ecosse Films for BBC Drama, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Wyatt</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Amy Wyatt is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Natalie Ann Jamieson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 October 2010, played by Chelsea Halfpenny. Since her inception Amy has been central to main storylines and has been played as the serial's rebellious teenager. Halfpenny has said she enjoys playing the character's mischievous side. Amy's unstable upbringing in children's homes and foster care has impacted on her persona. She is a troubled character and protects herself by creating a hard exterior. Amy's biggest fear is embarrassment and she aspires to lead a normal family life with her foster parents Val Pollard and Eric Pollard. As her storylines have developed she has grown close to the pair, yet rebelled at various stages. Charlie Hardwick and Chris Chittell who play Val and Eric have expressed their delight with the positive impact Amy has had on their on-screen family.

<i>Snatched</i> (2017 film) 2017 American film

Snatched is a 2017 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Katie Dippold. The film stars Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn, with Joan Cusack, Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes, and Christopher Meloni in supporting roles, and follows a mother and daughter who are abducted while on vacation in South America.

<i>The Desperate Hour</i> 2021 American-Canadian film

The Desperate Hour is a 2021 thriller film directed by Phillip Noyce. It stars Naomi Watts as a woman who is desperately racing to save her child after police place her hometown on lockdown due to an active shooter incident. The film was shot in the North Bay area of Ontario in 2020. It premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. The Desperate Hour was theatrically released by Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment on February 25, 2022.

References

  1. Slewinsky, Christy (October 19, 1995). "WHO'S THE MOM? MILANO IN 'SURROGATE'". Daily News (New York) . Retrieved 2012-06-07.
  2. 1 2 Scott, Tony (October 19, 1995). "The Abc Sunday Night Movie the Surrogate". Variety . Retrieved 2012-10-13.